Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-07-14
SET IN DIAMONDS,
BY Charlotte II. Braema
CHAPTER XXvI-CoNTINUED.

at hrst TO yield. During the whole OF
I ,at, ner lirst season In town. he had
pursued ner; ne had haunted her like a
shadow; but Ethel had given him but
little en- ourage nent; she did not want
lovers; she wanted to enjoy herself, she
said, but Ms handso NE face and his i'm
passion Il wooing touched her heart
Just lite.
lie was wise lover; in that sweet
leafy month o. June he cam; to OAK
clihe. tie did not wait for an invitation.
lie wrote to Lord Stair and told him
that he 90 I'D MT stop away, that he
must 9 his d ,ughter.
BE ,utifdl Ethel llu yhed when Lord
Stair told her; but she thou yht IN IRE or
hun tat day tnan she hid ever me
before, aud she thought Of him more
kindly.
81 could not stay away" he said to
her Oh the Il ~ of IA ARRIVAL, W zen he
had persuaded her 10 show him the
famoLs crimson passion-tlower tlat
grew on the terrace. "Iou do not know
what il is to hu Iger and thi st for the
sight OF any one, 10 feel that the best
part of your heart IL gone from vol,
that life has interest, that the days
are / he years, an so dreary they seem
endless. IoL do not know what it is
u be hau tie Oy the memory of one
lac. the soun | of one voice until you
Tee rs though you must 60 mad"
"No," she inter upted, with smile,
IL do no certainly understand anything
of the Kind
HIS face. so full of eager light, fell
when he heard her words.
Then you have never loved any one,
you are never missel me-"
That does not follow" she replied;
II have never love any one asyou say,
but | think, perhaps, on the whole /
have missed you-a little"
"Do not spoil sucI kind words by
add ng a little Ii you have missed
me Mt II. oh, beautiful Ethel it must
have been great deal"
"lou are not to call me beautiful
Ethel" she said.
Did you rea ly miss me?" he cried.
'lf you do not mean 1t, 1t would be
cruel to tel me so.
His handso ne face grew pale with
pass on.
You must never trife with me-" he
said. II could not bear ii, love you
to- much; 1 am frightened when
realize now much love YOU"
She had grown que and earnest as
she listened. The sun had set and the
stars were beginning TO shine: the
nightingales were singing the splendor
of sunset still lag red in the western
sky, and round tuem stole the sweet
suotle odurs OF the roses and lilies. One
tar. brighter than the rest, shone over
the river, and the murmur of the stream
added to the charm. 1t was a night
when the world was so fair that 1t
seemed almost unreal, the very night
for love and lovers; this "braw young
WOO II" seemed to think 1t had been
made purposely for him.
"You do not know what 1t is," he
said, ITO feel that your life lies in the
hands of anoth II. Let me see your
hand; how sma | IL is, how slender, how
VIII tie! Ii could not strike q blow. 1t
has not much strength, yet in that little
white hand lies the great, beating, pas
siouate heart ola man. On, love will
you lose your hand over 1t, or will you
throw il away?'
"Yol brighten mel" she said shrink
ing from him, In the pale moonlight.
III speak strongly because l am so
earnest" he said. / have never loved
anyone befo e-and-I see that my
life will be of no use to me unless you
love ma. might live without rank or
money, but | could not live without
Won. l have thought 1t all over; ifyou
will not have me | shall give up every
thing and go away; but you must have
me Ethel, | will take no nay. Do you
know what Isho lid do If any other man
tried to win you-tried TO take you
from me? l would slay him, and you,
and myself"
She laughed while she trembl,d.
"Niy, | do not bel eve that" she
repli ID. THAT would be wholesale
revenge"
"YoI do not know" he said show
much love you. You can not under
stan I. See, the sweet summer wind
kisses those fine tendrils OF hair, plays
with the lace round your neck, kisses
your beautiful face, and am jealous OF
it. I would fain have the same
privileges. Here Is a moonbeam falling
on your head and touching the white Of
your throat. am jealous of it. Look
at this passion flower lying at your feet.
i would chan re places with 1t. / would
IL could, pass my soul into rose to
die in your hands. Ethel, you are
trembling"
You Brighten me-" she repeated.
"Your face has grown pale and your
hands trenible, Ethel"
mo one has ever spoken like this to
me BEFORE" she said.
"And no one ever shall" he repliel
"Oh, Ethel, try to love me. try to love
me. will only ask that just now"
II Think" she said, with the swee test
simplicity-"I think 1 might promis
20 d, that"
"You will try to love me, and IL you
succeed you will promls then to be my
wife?"
"Let us get over the first difficulty"
she said, before we think OF the
second"
".ow long shall you be trying?
Ethel" he asked. "How long will Ii
take you--this trying to love me?"
II can not tell" she replied.
He drew her further into the moon
light, where sheaf OF white lilies gilt
ter like silver.
"will you begin now, this very min
ute?" he cried impetuously. "Look at
me, my beautiful Ethel; your eyes are
like two stars You say you will try
aud like me. want you to begin your
trying this very moment, will your"
YES" she replied.
They were out In the moonlight some
time longer, while Lord Stair finished
his siesta. When they entered the
dra wing-room thare was = flu-h on the
beautiful face, and NJ e. ess Ethel COM